Sure...but those screens weren't called then like they are today. Credit to Knight to run an extremely good screening offense. Plus they set so many screens that I think the officials couldn't keep up....
Bob Knight dies at 83
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
I hated Knight back in the 1980's - 1990's
I didnt understand why so many IU people at work or in the neighborhood just loved the guy.
As I aged, I realized that if he had been our coach, we would have overlooked his faults too and loved him just the same as they did
The dude did win a lot of games over the years.
But yea, he was an arsehat on the floor.
RIP
I didnt understand why so many IU people at work or in the neighborhood just loved the guy.
As I aged, I realized that if he had been our coach, we would have overlooked his faults too and loved him just the same as they did
The dude did win a lot of games over the years.
But yea, he was an arsehat on the floor.
RIP
Ever watch the movie “Whiplash”? Great movie. JK Simmons = Bobby Knight. IMO, that is him to a tee.
Each of us is a mixture of good qualities and not-so-good-qualities. One hopes that the first of these named is much greater than the second. And coaches are their own kind of unique personal mixture.
In terms of coaches... to start with they are all cut from a different cloth. First, they must have a pretty healthy sized ego to want to be up front and lead young people in a tough business where your ultimate performance is carried out in front of thousands (and even millions) of people. And your entire team is always looking at you for leadership at every moment.
Next, they have to be comfortable in the role of Father Figure. A coach is very often (if not always) seen as such. Some players don’t need that Coach Father Figure Image in their lives too much as they are already comfortable in their own skin. While other young people need that Father Figure deeply depending upon their personal circumstances in their families and how they grew up.
Roundball Coaches have to deal with all the off-the-court stuff. Administration. Donors. Media. Parents and families. THEIR OWN family. Name and Likeness. Tramsfer Portal. Assistants who leave. Lots of things to juggle and with the need to do so always in a proper proportion to each other.
What else helps a Coach? That you are the kind of person that someone really wants to play for. Young people have such a short window of time to show off their skills during their college years... sometimes only a few months for some players. You want to have a great relationship with your coach and learn things both for on and off the court that will serve you well in your career and in your life.
And as for the personality of the coach... some yell too much. Some lose patience too quickly. Some are not always assertive when they need to be. Some are TOO assertive and controlling. And some guys hit that perfect balance of Teacher, Mentor, Leader, Good-Listener, Friend, Counselor... and damn knowledgeable basketball coach.
Knight was a foundational influence on countless young people. He made himself important and the face of his program. And was that complex mixture type of good and not-so-good qualities.
As for our beloved Illini Coach... he scores pretty well in being one of those balanced coaches who hits most or all of the right notes with a leadership quality that is not over-the-top nor does he seem too inclined to throw furniture around or go into trantrums.
And the thing that I have always appreciated most about our Illini Coach is in how he personally greatly values and understands the Illini Program and the legacy of Illini roundball. You can find other good coaches in America... but not all of them value the Illini program as much as our current Illini leader.
Basketball is as important to the State of Illinois as much as it is in Indiana or the Carolinas or in Westwood, California or anywhere else. And we always need to have a coach who gets that and honors that great legacy.
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
Not me, bro.
If Bobby had been the Illini coach, I would have changed allegiances muy pronto.
Seriously.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Thanks for posting the link to that Feinstein article. It and Jay Bilas' essay on the ESPN site are the two best pieces I've read about Knight in the wake of his death.
This from Feinstein is about as succinct as it gets: "Knight was an almost Shakespearean character: brilliant, thoughtful and tragically flawed."